Feb 23, 2007  |  By: JOSHUA LYNSEN  | COMMENTS     

Some of the least recognized Democratic contenders for the White House in 2008 are eclipsing better-known rivals when it comes to support for gay rights initiatives.

Dark horse contenders like Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska) are calling for marriage equality at a time when more popular candidates are stumping for civil unions.

“Love between a man and a woman is love,” Gravel told the Blade. “Love between a man and a man is love. Love between a woman and a woman is love. What this country needs is a hell of a lot more love than it has.”

Other contenders are distinguishing themselves from rivals by touting their work to expand gay civil rights.

At a Democratic National Committee meeting earlier this month, presidential hopeful and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he helped bring about new rights and protections for gay residents of his state.

“For the first time in state history, we have a hate crimes law,” he said. “And we’ve extended civil rights protections to include sexual orientation. And we’re providing state health insurance for domestic partnerships.”

Richardson’s comments came after leading Democratic candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) gave speeches that omitted references to gay issues.

“[Richardson’s] comments were very well received,” said National Stonewall Democrats spokesperson John Marble. “I think people appreciated that he wasn’t afraid to talk about LGBT issues proactively.”

Like Clinton and Obama, Richardson backs civil unions but opposes marriage equality.

Political experts said Richardson’s recent comments, coupled with Kucinich and Gravel’s support of same-sex marriage, give gay voters new cause to examine these and other dark horse candidates.

Clyde Wilcox, a Georgetown University professor and author of “The Politics of Gay Rights,” said the contenders might not be polling well 21 months before Election Day, but neither did Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton.

“We wouldn’t have expected Carter — we wouldn’t have even expected Clinton — this far out,” he said. “So there’s a sense by which people can surprise you.”

Richardson and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack are two dark horse contenders that experts said could gain momentum.

Wilcox said Richardson, a former congressman, White House energy secretary and United Nations ambassador, is well positioned to become a major contender.

“He has the resume that should be getting him serious consideration,” Wilcox said, “but he’s not getting serious consideration at this point.”

Richardson supporter Mauro Montoya of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said the candidate has been crowded out as media outlets focus on Clinton and Obama.

Montoya, who is gay, said Richardson is nonetheless “one of the intelligent candidates,” and has his vote even though Richardson doesn’t back marriage equality.

“For a lot of people, that’s not so much the issue,” Montoya said. “The issue is more about them getting fired from their jobs or having health care coverage.”

Richardson’s campaign did not respond this week to a Blade interview request.

Vilsack, meanwhile, is expected to perform well in key Iowa polls. A supporter of gay rights, Vilsack maintains superior name recognition in the state he governed for eight years.

“If you think about who the frontrunners are, they’re senators,” Wilcox said. “And we haven’t elected a senator to be president for a long time. We usually elect a governor. So it’s worth keeping an eye on him for that reason.”
 
 
Marriage matters

Other candidates are differentiating themselves by touting decidedly liberal views.

Not only do Kucinich and Gravel support same-sex marriage, but Gravel has pledged to call on Congress to enact it at the federal level.

Gravel also said he’d ask Congress to expand protections and repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a practice he called “the dumbest thing in the world.”

But Wilcox said Gravel, who’s registered at less than 1 percent in national polls, faces an uphill battle.

“The big problem for him is that nobody knows anything about him and he doesn’t have money,” Wilcox said. “Can he even make it to Iowa or New Hampshire?”

Wilcox said Kucinich is likelier to have a stronger — but still limited — voice in the months ahead.

“He speaks to the heart of the left of the party,” Wilcox said, “but everyone knows he doesn’t have a chance.”

Kucinich’s campaign did not respond this week to a Blade interview request.